Can A Hot Tub Also Be A Pool? (Find Out)

Can a hot tub also be a pool? Or Can you use a hot tub as a swimming pool? Who doesn’t want a pool? Having a pool can make for a great entertainment space during the summer when most people are looking for a way to beat the heat.

Even if it is just you and your family, a pool is a great hangout spot that can create an oasis of relaxation day or night. That said, not everyone has the type of backyard that can reasonably support a full-sized pool.

So, does that mean that you are disqualified from being involved in pool ownership? Are you supposed to find another spot to cool off and hang out?

Not necessarily. If you have a hot tub in your backyard, there is the opportunity to turn it from a hot soaking space to a miniature pool. But what can you reasonably do in a hot tub given how small they are in comparison? Here is what you need to know.

Can You Use A Hot Tub As A Swimming Pool?

The short answer is that, yes, you can use a hot tub as a pool. The matter becomes more about what you can do in a hot tub versus what can be done in a pool. Due to size constraints, there are some obvious differences.

You aren’t going to be able to swim laps in a hot tub. Even the most spacious of hot tubs are not big enough to accommodate that kind of activity.

So, you immediately need to put that thought out of your head if you plan on converting your hot tub into a swimming pool.

That said, there are plenty of activities to partake in even without the space of a pool. Here are more than a few ways how you can use your hot tub as a pool.

Exercise

For starters, one of the great things about having a pool is having a method to get a workout in whenever you want. No need to go to a crowded rec center and share the water with a bunch of people that you don’t know.

The good news is that a hot tub can still be used for exercise even if swimming laps is not a possibility. There are plenty of aquatic workouts that can be implemented in the relatively small space of a hot tub.

Aquatic workouts are great because they deliver a low-impact workout. Even treading water in place or performing certain aquatic exercises can do wonders on the body.

If you have been looking for a better way to keep your body fit, doing stationary exercises in the hot tub can be an excellent way to achieve those results.

Cooling Off

Perhaps the biggest reason for owning a pool is to stay cool when the weather turns hot. Having a pool means having others over, sharing in the outdoor space, and splashing around in the cool water while the sun beats down overhead.

Sure, that might not be exactly the same experience, but you and a friend or loved one can share the space all the same. Instead of soaking in the hot water as you normally would in a hot tub, cool the water off and enjoy the soak in a new way.

One of the most synonymous things about hanging out during the summer is doing so in the pool. There are inherent advantages that hot tub owners have over pool owners as well.

Your average pool won’t have seats or jets that enhance the entire experience. Besides, you can sit close with friends or loved ones and chat while enjoying a nice, cooling soak.

In a pool, things can get hectic quickly with people splashing about everywhere. The hot tub creates a more relaxed atmosphere so that people can just have a good time.

Night Time Dip

An underrated aspect of owning a pool is getting to have a quiet dip when the sun goes down. Whether you are doing laps or just cooling off on a hot and humid night, a pool can make for a great sundown destination.

The good news is that your hot tub can fill this space admirably. There is nothing quite like relaxing in the cool water under the stars.

You can add any extras that you may think of – relaxing music, maybe some tea, or anything else that appeals to you – and ramp up the ambiance to a new level.

Given the ease of upkeep in a hot tub compared to a pool, you may also find yourself using it more often. Whether that is for a nighttime dip or any other activity, you won’t have to think twice about taking a dip in the hot tub.

Hydrotherapy

Let’s face a simple fact: the older we get, the worse our bodies tend to feel. Some of us keep in great shape and manage to not miss a beat well into our senior years. But the simple fact is that most of us are not like that.

We become hampered by aches and pains throughout the days, weeks, months, and years. Some of them are minor in nature. Others build up over time and become a very difficult thing to manage and live with.

Hydrotherapy has proven to be an effective method for treating those ailments. Even if stress is your worst physical ailment, it will add up over time. Stress can take a major toll on the body that you will feel before long.

Going for a soak in your hot tub, whether it be a hot soak or a cold one, has a litany of benefits. It can help with back and neck problems, muscle tension, and can even lower your anxiety.

There are also some hot tubs that have customizable massage programs, allowing you to pinpoint the areas that are giving you the most trouble. Simply put, you will not get that experience out of a regular pool. That kind of versatility is hard to match.

Hot Tubs Have Numerous Benefits Over Pools

If you are looking to entertain a large group of people regularly, then a pool is the better route. It just has the space to accommodate a lot more people, especially on a hot day. That said, the hot tub may be the better overall investment.

For one, it is a much more versatile thing than a pool. When the weather is warm, both serve their purpose. But what happens when temperatures drop? The hot tub can be warmed up and used for much the same purpose.

The same can’t be said of the pool. Not only that but the maintenance levels for each are way different. For hot tubs, you need to shock the water to ensure that bacteria is dissolved.

Keep it covered so that it is protected from bugs, bacteria, and other debris. But that is kind of it. A pool, on the other hand, needs to be drained and shut down when the colder months approach.

So, not only do you get limited access to a pool, but you have to drain this massive structure, cover it, and store any components that are not meant to remain outside for the summer. That can be a real pain.

How to Convert a Hot Tub Into a Swimming Pool

The process is relatively simple. All you need to do is cool down that very hot water. Most of the time, a hot tub will hover just above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

When it gets sweltering in the middle of summer, you might not want a hot soak but to cool down instead. So, the answer becomes somewhat simplified: cool the hot tub down.

All you need to do is start by either turning the heater off if it is already running or letting it sit uncovered for a few hours. On a particularly hot day, the water will cool down but won’t get much colder than 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can also opt to cool it down much sooner by adding ice. The good news is that you can add ice into just about any hot tub without negative repercussions to the hot tub.

Just keep an eye on how much you decide to add; you may overflow the hot tub before long. Depending on where you live and how hot the temperatures get, there may be only so much that can be done.

If temperatures are regularly in the upper 90s or low 100s, the water will probably hover above the 90-degree mark no matter what.

You can also pump freshly cold water into the tub to keep it cooler, but that may involve a little more effort especially over an afternoon.

Still, being able to enjoy a soak on a hot afternoon is a great idea even if you can’t get the water to be quite as chilly as you had hoped.

For smaller backyard spaces, having a hot tub can provide the best of both worlds even if it isn’t exactly like owning a pool of your own.